One thing I found about this Winter in New York was the ironic toll my lack of makeup took to my skin. With no powdery, creamy, self-tanning barrier between my epidermis and Manhattan’s brutal tunnel winds, my late nights slaving over photos, articles and lookbooks were far more obvious, and by the end of Fashion Week, no amount of coconut oil could bury the fact that my face had lost a little shine (why yes, my new shoes were shinier). When I arrived in London, I overcompensated by smearing Lanolin on every exposed surface each morning, which, though heavy, provided the illusion of being fresh and well-rested, but even then, it has taken me the two weeks of being back home to regenerate what New York City’s elements stripped me of (except sleep – that’s still a work in progress).

By the same token, my suitcased excuse for a wardrobe was also getting a little tired by this point. And so, finally, I gave in to wearing my loyal waist plaid the way Hayley and Lauri had intended. Poor Libertine, however, remained quietly bottom-bound – though I would say that its perfect matte green was the unsung hero of this particular look I wore to my final day of NYFW runways.

But, the spotlight still sits on this origami outer shell of a bonded crop jacket (Cue, you are killing it) – and rightly so. You all know me: I won’t touch a cropped jacket unless it’s under an ankle-length trench to balance it out. Something about the proportions and generous cutouts, strategically angled zips and overall scuba feel works impeccably well with this slightly grungy boy get-up, with a tiny black bikini, with a sporty leather shift dress, or this DKNY for Opening Ceremony onesie I’ve been swooning over (should I get it!?). I would even go so far as to wear it to class with a sports bra and high-waisted leather pants that I don’t currently own, but will most likely buy solely for this purpose.

LIVE

About

Margaret Zhang is a Chinese-Australian photographer, director, stylist and writer based in New York. Since her digital beginnings in the fashion industry in 2009, Margaret has worked with global brands including Chanel, UNIQLO, Swarovski, YEEZY, Clinique, Lexus, Dior, Gucci, Matches and Louis Vuitton in a wide range of capacities both in front of and behind the camera, while completing her Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws at The University of Sydney.
Though regularly featured in print and digital media as a model and personality alike, Margaret’s pho tography, styling, and creative direction has been employed by the likes of Vogue, L’Officiel, Harper’s BAZAAR, NYLON, Marie Claire, Buro24/7, and ELLE internationally. She has been listed in Forbes Asia’s 30Under30 and TimeOut’s 40Under40 lists, and her work has been recognised as shaping the international fashion industry by the Business of Fashion BoF500 Index, and ELLE Magazine’s Best Digital Influencer of The Year Award.